Tatarstan's First Graffiti Festival

July 25, 2012 12:34 GMT

Graffiti artists from a dozen countries took part this week in a festival of street art in Kazan, the capital of the Russian republic of Tatarstan. The event, the first of its kind in Tatarstan, gave a face-lift to some 40 sites around the city. (Photos by Ildar Gabidullin of RFE/RL's Tatar-Bashkir Service)

1Some 60 artists from across Europe visited Kazan to transform public spaces during the city's first graffiti festival.

2The artists had access to some 40 locations, including apartment buildings, bridges, and fences, totaling about 10,000 square meters of paintable surfaces.

3Some of the artists had the help of industrial cranes to reach the upper stories.

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5Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov (left) and Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin (right) tour the works in progress during the festival.

6Organizer Anastasia Zakirova said that the participants were given no guidelines for their work, and could create anything they wanted.